One Day
by Bellchime
Summary: Kaoru defies her family by moving to study at St Marie Academy. But, even with the help of her new friends, will she be able to make her dream come true? Her spirit Cream has a few secrets too... Please read and review!
1. Chapter 1 - The Beginning

**Hi guys, Bell here! So this is my first story that I've written heree being a newbie and honestly, any feedback is welcome. Sorry this first chapter is so short, the second one's a bit longer but by the third we're going at proper chapter length. So, please enjoy!**

I sit on the edge of the pew, eyes closed, hands clasped in prayer. I'm not religious, but as I sit in silence, alone, I feel a calm wash over me.

 _Please Lord, if you exist, please let me become a pâtissière._

I head on home, my feet crunching through snow and gravel, and I stare at the house I was raised in.

By house, I really mean mansion. Or dream-deprived emotionless castle of nightmares, if you're melodramatic like me.

The turret rooms and balconies, swirling architecture and long, spiralled staircases cloaked in red carpet have never felt like home to me, but maybe that's just my family's influence on my view of the place.

" I'm home. " I say unenthusiastic, to the empty hall.

"Ah, Mistress Kaoru-sama, how good to see you are back safely. " The foreign maid Louise, who dotes on me, says. "Madam Hatsune is, ah, attending to something in the dining room. She doesn't seem to be in a very sociable mood. "

"Honestly, Louise, is she ever? " I swing my rucksack from my arm and hang it on the gold banister.

" Not really, Ru-chan! " Louise whispers, grinning at me. A year older than me, the Irish girl works here to pay for her tuition fees. She's trying to make it in the world, starting a computer company here in Japan, but my mother doesn't make even part-time work easy for her.

I head up to my room, and flop down on the lush purple bed.

I stare at my ceiling. My family is a bunch of professional lawyers. They own their own firm which is really popular and well paid. Shame it made Mother so strict and unloving, Dad stay at work till crazy-o'clock and my brothers are really amazing at arguing.

I mean REALLY amazing. They turn a bicker over a card game into a full blown debate about how it's not possible to have had that card at that time, yaddah yaddah yaddah. Don't get me wrong, I love my brothers and dad, but Mother? She's a whole different ball game, and one I don't know the rules of.

Mother wants me to be a lawyer like the rest of them, but I've never felt that way. Ever since nursery, when we made krispie cakes, I've wanted to be a pâtissière. Thing is, I've been looked down on by Mother since forever for it.

An all-too-familiar screech fills the house.

"KAORU! MOVE YOUR BAG NOW! YOU LAZY EXCUSE FOR A GIRL, YOU'LL NEVER GET INTO LAW SCHOOL LIKE THAT!"

"Shut the hell up." I mutter, enraged. But I'm too afraid of Mother to yell.

"Get down here now." Mother's voice is now soft and dangerous. It's worse than yelling.

I gulp, but instead of heading down meekly like normal, I pull my laptop out from under my bed. I open the St. Marie Academy online application form and fill it out.

Name: Hatsune Kaoru...

I send it off.

A few days later...

I pull out my laptop. Since I applied for St. Marie, I've been researching ideas for pastries every day. As I open it up, a notification pops up at the bottom of the screen. An email.

 _Dear Hatsune Kaoru,_

 _You have been accepted for interview and examination at St. Marie Academy, Japan branch. Please attend your meeting at 12:30, 5th December, in the Main Hall of St. Marie Academy. You will be tested at St. Marie Academy on theoretical knowledge of pâtissèrie work, practical cookery skills and on your palate at St. Marie Academy. We eagerly await your attendance at St. Marie Academy._

 _Yours sincerely,_

 _Chairman, St. Marie Academy_

My first thought - Wow, they really like to say St. Marie Academy. I know who you are already!

My second thought - Ohhh Jesus. What should I do? It sounds really difficult! How'll I pass the tests? I can't tell a Mont Blanc from a mountain goat!

Just then Louise knocks on my door.

"Ru-chan? Your mother's out now, want to play hockey?" She asks, ever eager to skive polishing the five twisted banisters to a honey coloured shine.

"Can't, Lou-san. Things to do, cakes to bake." I reply.

"Ah, has the academy got back to you then?" I told Louise about my application form yesterday.

Instead of replying, I spin the laptop round to her. She scans the email quickly, frowning to read the kanji in her English-thinking mind.

"Sorry, what's that say?"

"Hmm? Oh, application. "

"And that?"

"Examination."

"And this?"

"Meetin- oh, you know what, pass it here."

"Thanks, Japanese characters confuse me. They all look a bit like sheep, don't they?"

"What?"

"You know, the things that say baa?"

"I know what sheep are, thanks, Lou-san."

"You never know. I'm talking English in my mind, I don't know what I'm saying. Or I'm talking Gaelic, depends whether I'm feeling patriotic to Ireland that day."

"You're nuts," I laugh. "Remeber when you accidentally called Mother a prostitute? "

"I'd rather not. I swear I meant genius!"

"Genius and prostitute don't sound remotely alike!"

"Serves me right for being a suck-up. Trying to get out of ironing never works. Anyway, what does the email say?"

"Oh, right, I forgot." I read it out.

"Crikey, that sounds high-class! What'll you make?"

"I don't know. I was thinking something with lots of cinnamon, since I love it so much..."

"Seasonal too! They're bound to love a warm cinnamon roll in this cold, or a cinnamon and apple pie..."

"But I've not studied for the theory! And I still don't know exactly what to make!"

Louise points at the photo on my dressing table. "Remember when that photo was taken?"

I follow her finger. It points to a photo of me and Louise sitting on the grass, books and textbooks and leaflets in front of us. We're smiling at the camera, my green eyes shining, my medium brown hair long in a braid, before I chopped it to just above my shoulder roughly with a pair of rusty scissors. Louise has her hand holding open a book, the pages clean and bright.

"Yeah. You'd just moved here and were studying computing instead of mowing the lawn."

"Mm-hmm. I thought I'd never get to run my own company and was thinking of all that could go wrong, how I couldn't do it..."

"But you could! You've been working hard since!"

"You cheered me on that day, Ru-chan, and every day since. Now it's my turn to return the favour."

"Huh?"

"You're full of doubt now, about your own abilities in the kitchen. Yet everyday you're baking something in the kitchen, or at night if you've been grounded."

"Busted, I guess. "

"And everytime somebody tastes it, they can't help but say that it's delicious. It's the only time I've seen your mother smile. She tries to hide it but she can't. So why are you so down on yourself?" Louise asks.

"I guess... Thank you." I say.

"So you'll do your best?" Louise asks.

"Yeah! I'm not giving up!"

"That's the spirit!"

We hear a lock clicking downstairs.

"Ahh! Pretend I've cleaned the banisters if anyone asks, okay?" Louise whisper-yells as she runs downstairs.

I raise my hand. "See you later." I whisper.

But my friend is out of sight.

My favourite is cinnamon, and Louise loves peaches...

I think I know what I'll make for the entrance exam.


	2. Chapter 2 - The Exam!

**Hi, it's Bell here, just saying I'm sorry I've dragged out the bit before Kaoru goes to St. Marie. This is the last chapter before she goes there, so enjoy!**

 **I don't own Yumeiro Pâtissière. If I did, I wouldn't be writing fanfiction, I'd be making the best ships canon on a sunny island somewhere.**

"Hmm..." The female judge, Ameya-sensei, muttered under her breath.

 _Crap_.

Today's the day of the exam. Surprisingly, theory went okay- a basic knowledge of flour, pastries, fruit and creams got me through knowing all the answers. Now I'm judged on my cretion before they teste my palate.

For the sweet, I made a plated dessert and glass sweet. The plated dessert was a layered mille-feuille with stewed peaches, cinnamon flavoured pastry and caramel sauce. The glass sweet was similar, but peach sorbet, warm honey syrup and cinnamon and nutmeg dusted toasted almonds. On top of the almonds was a candy-art star filled with spicy-sweet sauce.

Now having presented it, I wonder if I've done enough. Perhaps the tastes didn't work well enough together...

"I've not tasted anything close to this before!" the chairman exclaimed, the first judge.

 _Is that good or bad?_

"Yes, truly a unique flavour. And these textures are certainly unusual." Ameya-sensei murmured.

 _Stop saying how strange it is, is it decent or freaking awful?_

"Ahh..." The third judge looked about nineteen. She had blonde hair and wore the uniform. Why's a student on the panel?

 _How insightful. 'Ahh...' tells me your exact emotions, doesn't it?_

"If you don't mind, Hatsune-san, please refrain from sarcasm." The blondie's voice is steely.

 _Shit. I said that out loud, didn't I?_

"Doesn't it just show a certain life about Hatsune-san though? Tennouji-kun, I feel you'll discover more about this young lady with another bite."

When the Chairman tries to save you from your own stupid runaway tongue, you're a lost cause.

"It portrays her spicy, disrespectful nature with cinnamon." I get the feeling Tennouji doesn't much like me.

"Yet there is a certain warmth and kindness with the sweet peach, and the honey and caramel accents."

"Oh, those don't represent me. Those are for my best friend."

"Ah! There is a story behind this! Only by working together with your opposing personalities could you and your friend achieve harmony!"

 _Uh, yeah, something like that..._

"I believe we are ready for the palate test, Mr. Chairman. "

"Of course, Ameya-san. Please bring in the trolley. "

A butler wheels in a brass, old fashioned trolley covered in white cloth. A blindfold sits on top, which I pick up.

"Please put on the blindfold." I do as Tennouji asks. She scares me slightly. "This test consists of three questions. Firstly, what ingredient from the trolley is this?"

A powder is shoved into my mouth on a teaspoon so fast and suddenly I gag. It doesn't help that flour was on the spoon, drying out my throat.

"Please don't kill the examinee, Tennouji-san!" Ameya-sensei cries.

 _You're a dick, Tennouji_.

"Self-raising flour." I cough out, before the blindfold is away.

"You haven't seen the trolley ye-" Shut up Tennouji.

"Is that your answer?" asked the Chairman.

"Yes." I knew eating flour the other day in training would help. Didn't make it taste better though.

"Take off the blindfold. The next question is, which of these seven milk types was used in this cheesecake?"

I open my mouth and put the little square of plain cheesecake in my mouth. The cheesecake tastes extremely rich, so much so that I desperately want water even more.

This was all Tennouji's plan, wasn't it? Probably not, but you never can tell.

I look at the seven bottles. Jersey milk, full fat milk, semi-skimmed, skimmed, 2% fat, Jersey cream and regular heavy cream.

 _Since when is cream milk?_

"This one." I point to the Jersey milk without having to taste the dairies. "It's rich and creamy and sweet. You can just taste it."

"Why not the Jersey cream then?" Tennouji asks. She's probably trying to catch me out.

"Because you asked me to choose from the milk." I fold my arms. I really don't like this Tennouji person.

"Oh ho ho ho!" laughed the Chairman. We all turned to face him. "It's been a while since we've had someone who is pure fire and brimstone like this! Not since... oh, since Kashino-kun, I believe!"

I'm really not like this, Tennouji just rubs me up the wrong way. But who is this Kashino guy?

"I believe the final palate test is ready, Mr. Chairman."

"Of course, Ameya-san. Please bring in the serving plates."

"Excuse me, may I have some water?" I ask. My thirst is too much now.

"Ah, can you fetch that, Tennouji-kun?"

"The butler is right here." Tennouji replied.

"Ah, but he has his hands full already..."

"Of course, Mr. Chairman."

Tennouji leaves abruptly, glaring at me.

 _Swallow your pride and get me my water, lowly peasant_.

"You know, Hatsune-san, Tennouji isn't bad herself. She simply doesn't like what she views as impertinent disrespectful minors."

Is this a lecture?

"Oookay..."

"She herself made the sweets involved in this final test. Impress her and hold your tongue, and she'll surely warm to you." The Chairman leans across the table. "She can make your dream a nightmare if you cross her, and you've done too good a job of that already." He whispers.

"I see."

Tennouji returns, banging the water on the table.

"Thank you." I gulp it down. The water is bliss after the flour and cheesecake.

"Are you ready now, Hatsune-san?"

"Yes, thanks."

The butler places three plates covered by metal cloches in front of me, and unveils them in quick succession.

I gasp. Three of the most well-made desserts I've ever seen sit in front of me. Three perfect little honey soufflés, with a small scoop of raspberry sorbet on the side with spun sugar on top.

"One of these soufflés - brought to you by Tennouji-kun here - is made in a slightly different way to the other two. Taste them all before placing your answer this time." The Chairman smiles at me.

I pick up the ornate golden teaspoon and scoop a little out of the first one. I actually gasp a little. It's light and fluffy and sweet, but not overly so despite being honey flavoured. Somehow, raspberry framboise has been put inside as well.

"It's, well, amazing, Tennouji-san." I hate to say it, but it's one of the best things I've ever eaten. She inclines her head slightly.

The second one is slightly heavier, and doesn't melt on your tongue the same way. But which is the odd one out?

I taste the third. It's like the second one in every way.

"The first one. It's lighter and melts in your mouth like a puff of cloud!"

Tennouji perks up. "Perhaps I got the wrong impression, Hatsune-san."

"I believe you may have, Tennouji-kun."

The three talk in hushed whispers for a minute, then nod and face me.

"Normally we'd wait to mail you your results, but after this, I don't feel it's necessary. You got full marks for theory and palate, and your cookery was sublime. I don't think I need to tell you you passed."

"I think you understand you would, under normal circumstances, have to wait until the new school year to join our academy. However, we're willing to make an exception with you. If you would..."

"Would you be interested in joining next week?"

"Huh? I did that well?" I'm stunned. I've had no proper teaching at all; I self taught everything I know. I realise I've been catching flies and close my mouth. Then I realise they're waiting for an answer. "Yes, of course! Thank you so much!"

"But first..." the Chairman begins.

"Hatsune-san, Tennouji-san, I'd like it if you apologise to each other. In the hour you've known each other for, you already appear to have fostered a rivalry bordering on hatred." Ameya-sensei looks sternly at us.

Surprisingly, Tennouji puts out her hand first. I take it in handshake.

"I'm sorry, Hatsune-san, for my cold and harsh welcome and treatment of you."

"I... I'm sorry too, for letting my tongue run away with me. Again."

The Chairman smiles and hands me a form.

"Please get your parent's signature and mail it to us by Tuesday."

Right, that'll be a forged signature, Mother'll never allow me to go...

"Umm... how much will it cost?"

Ameya-sensei smiles.

"That's the best part. You've won yourself a scholarship there; it's free."

"Really? Thank you so much!"

"Just show them you were worth it."

As I walk outside, back to the bus stop, I notice a tiny white butterfly with a bright indigo-blue core. It seemed to be glowing, but just as I pause to look at it, it fades away.

 **Hope you like it! Whether you do or not, please review. Sayonara!**


	3. Chapter 3 - First Day

**Hi, Bell here! Sorry I've not posted in a little while (okay, a week, but still), I was on holiday to Center Parcs (I.e. a big village in a forest-turned-holiday-park), which has no Wi-Fi. So I'm back, and will hopefully be writing a ton still. Enjoy!**

Wandering up to the school, I notice a fountain and pause to throw a few coins in. The water looks cool and inviting, almost, unlike the school. It towers over me, a shortish girl of 5'1". It wouldn't seem forbidding to Louise; she'd laugh and throw the doors wide open.

I came here on the subway, then caught a bus here, thanks to Louise checking timetables for me. She was sad that I was abandoning her, but she wouldn't admit it, and just looked pleased for me. Weirdly, though, Dad came in early from work the other day, and having been phoned by St. Marie, took my registration form and signed it for me, just as I was about to forge the signature. Maybe he's a little scared of Mother, too.

I saw the butterfly again, or at least one of the same species, the white one with a dark blue glowing centre. It was hovering outside my window when I woke up this morning, but disappeared in a little puff of sparkling cloud a moment later. I must have imagined it, but why?

As I gaze at the water, another reflection appears behind me.

"Ah!" I exclaim, turning around. A girl my age, a few inches taller than me, is behind me. She giggles at my surprise. Her strawberry-blonde hair is shoulder length with a blunt fringe (/A/N - I'm British. Fringe = bangs), way neater than my rough, messy cut.

"Hi, I'm Kana. You're Hatsune Kaoru-san, right?" The girl - Kana - asks cheerily.

"Yeah, how d'you know?" I reply. Is she psychic? Have really, really good guessing skills? Or maybe she's a spy?

"I'm your roommate! I came to fetch you."

Okay, not a spy.

"Do you want to go to our dorm now?" Kana asks, moving before I reply.

"Okay, just a sec. What's this statue?" I noticed the smooth grey rock carved into a big, elegant fairy when I turned to Kana.

"Oh, that's the Sweets Spirit queen. There's a legend at this school - if you see a sweets spirit, your dream will come true! And if you stick a sweet on the ledge, you're bound to pass an exam!"

"Oh, maybe I should offer this for luck, then." I search in my back for my little plastic bag of spiced cookies, break off a piece of one and put it at the fairy's feet.

We walk into the dorm, Kana having extracted my life story from me in the three minute walk to the girls dorm. The dorm is a basic little twin room, nothing too special, but the bed is comfy and soft.

"I put the luggage you sent over beside that bed. You really pack light, don't you?" Kana points the bed on the right of the door.

"I didn't think I'd need much." I also didn't have enough money to send all my things, and no way would Mother pay.

"Well, practical will start in about ten minutes; Ichigo-chan and Hiyomi-san are on ingredients duty, so we can chill until then."

"So, Kana-chan, what about you? Any interesting school gossip?"

"Well, the Grand Prix is starting soon. It's a great tournament, people compete to see who can make the best tasting, looking and meaningful sweets. It normally begins earlier in the year, but Ojou-senpai wasn't ready..."

"Ojou-senpai?"

"Yeah, a spoilt rich girl in the year above us. She's a bit of a cow. Her real name is Koshiro Miya, and her dad owns Château Seika-"

"Wait, _the_ Château Seika?" I bought Louise chocolate from there the other day.

"Yep, the very same. It's one of the school's major sponsors, so they have to do as they please out of obligation. And they decided since Ojou-senpai wasn't ready, they'd hold it until the day winter break ends.."

"Oh, I get it. So she thinks she can hold it off just because she wants extra training?"

"Yeah, it's annoying, but everyone's excited for it now. And this way, you'll get to see it! I wonder if the Sweets Princes are entering."

"Sweets Princes?" They sound pretty egoistic to me, to let themselves be called that.

"Oh, you don't know! The tall one with glasses and black hair-"

"Traditional Japanese guy." I murmur, too quietly for Kana to hear.

"-is Andou Sennosuke, the narcissist with green hair-"

"Oh God, a plant-loving playboy." I mutter under my breath again.

"-is Hanabusa Satsuki, and the short one with hair kinda like mine-"

"What, long and in a fringe?"I ask. Kana laughs.

"No, just the colour is kinda similar. Actually, it's closer to your hair, just really light. He's Kashino Makoto. Those three are the best at making sweets in the middle school, so we all call them the Sweets Princes."

"They sound a bit stuck up to me."

"Hanabusa, maybe, but Andou isn't, and Kashino is just a little harsh on folk. I feel a bit sorry for them."

"Why?" I'm surprised - they're clearly the popular ones at the school.

"They had to team up with Ojou-senpai last year for the Grand Prix, who had very little ability - she put soy sauce in ganache. I especially feel sorry for Kashino, she decided she liked him and now obsessively stalks him."

Wait, what the hell's this Koshiro girl been smoking? Soy sauce? In ganache, of all things?

Isn't this a pâtissèrie school? Why is soy sauce even readily available?

I mentally drop it. She's clearly a few oats short of a flapjack. Or soybeans short of soy sauce.

"I... yeah, that's actually pretty unlucky. Poor Kashino."

A bell peals out thrice, and Kana stands up, brushing imaginary dust off her short brown skirt. Mine is identical, but let's just say it doesn't look quite as good on me. I'm too short, and my white thigh socks keep falling down around my calves.

"Let's go, Kaoru-chan," I have promoted (or demoted, depends how you look at it) to -chan, " we're making buche de noel today."

"Really? That seems kinda... basic." I didn't come to make simple cakes.

Kana eyes me.

"Oh, you haven't had one of Ameya-sensei's lessons yet."

"Hatsune-san, pass the flour."

I chuck the bag over, and Andou catches it. A puff of flour goes in his eyes.

"There. And Kaoru, thanks. I don't like being called Hatsune."

Andou blinks, his face powdered like an old lady's, then smiles in a way that reaches his eyes.

"Okay, Kaoru-san."

"Oi, Hatsune. You're tempering at too high a temperature for white chocolate."

"Oh, I didn't notice it was above 40°C. Thanks. And like I said before, Kaoru."

"Fine, Hatsune."

"Suit yourself."

If you can't tell, we're in cooking class. Being a scholarship student, I was sent to Group A as the fifth member, despite my lack of training. I'm crammed at the end of the Kashino guy's worksurface, where he's examining my tempering closely. Too closely.

"Do you mind? Chocolate doesn't take well to moisture, and sadly you're breathing all over mine."

"It's gone above 40°C again. Pay attention."

"Kashino, lay off her!" The girl beside Kashino, Ichigo, says.

"You've got enough to do already, Amano. If you've got time to chat, practise tempering!"

"Meanie..." Ichigo looks down.

I raise an eyebrow _. Love is in the air._

Like Kana said, we're doing buche de noel, except our own flavour choice. I've been given a quick masterclass in tempering white chocolate, my weakest of the three types of chocolate, from Kashino, help on usage of fruit in cakes from Ichigo (which I honestly didn't need, but it felt rude to refuse, so I just did my own thing while Ichigo talked my ear off) and a reminder from Hanabusa the narcissist that 'flowers are delicately feminine and beautiful like myself' whilst he handed me a bouquet of sugar roses, which Sensei confiscated.

I decided to make a cranberry and raspberry cake, with spices scattered generously throughout, a white chocolate cream filling and white chocolate on top, topped with star anise for decoration (and despite Hanabusa's protests, not a flower in sight). The cake batter is in a square tray in the oven, alongside the rest of Group A's cakes. Ichigo has made a pink strawberry cake; Andou a maccha cake; Hanabusa something pale pink- champagne? ; and Kashino a dark chocolate one with glaçe cherries. I was stared at the whole time by the other students, but according to Ichigo this happened to her too so I tried to ignore it. A few jealous mutters were heard when I was announced as part of A Group, and I know how they feel.I'd be pretty miffed (/A/N - is this a British thing to say? I don't really know, you don't tend to hear Americans say it. /) too if a newcomer with only experience of cooking at home went to the top group immediately. I heard somebody say that they hoped it 'wouldn't be a repeat of last time'. I wonder what they meant.

I whip up the white chocolate cream and set it aside. I timed the tempering of the chocolate topping so it would be done when the cake was ready to take out. The timer goes off, and we all go to fetch our cake.

I roll it up filled with the cream, and pour the chocolate over it. I gently pull a fork along the length of the cake until it's covered in lines reminiscent of tree bark.

"Finished!" I cheer. Andou looks over.

"It does smell good, Kaoru-san. But you aren't done yet."

Andou walks over wielding a knife. He slices a piece of my cake off diagonally.

"Hey!" I cry. He's murdering an innocent cake!

"One second..." Andou daubs one side of the slice in my leftover buttercream and sticks it on top of the buche de noel.

That's downright sacrilege, that is.

But then I look at the others' cakes. Ichigo's is pink with pink buttercream inside and on top, while Kashino's is brown with red pieces, red jam inside and dark chocolate on top. Hanabusa's alcoholic cake has pink rose buttercream and is drizzled with a bold red sauce. Andou has a green cake with red anko inside and a green cream on top. Everybody's has a slice on top. They all look like logs.

Oh.

"Ameya-sensei, Group A is all finished!" Ichigo calls cheerily.

Somebody nearby says, "Let's see how _she_ does."

It's fairly obvious who _she_ is.

"First, Hanabusa's." Ameya-sensei takes a fork and cuts into the pale cake. She chews it. "The champagne taste is delicate and pairs well with the rose buttercream. And this tang of raspberry is a good contrast with the delicate sweetness."

"Thank you, Sensei."

She then tries Kashino's. "Moist, a classic combination. The tempering on this chocolate is first-rate."

Next, Andou's. "A traditional Japanese flavour. As expected of Andou, it tastes balanced and looks bold."

"Hmm... not too bad, Amano, but it's too sweet, and it only tastes of strawberry."

"Th-thank you, Sensei."" Ichigo seems disappointed.

"Your skills are still improving, Ichigo-chan, " Hanabusa says.

"Thanks, Hanabusa-kun." Ichigo fixes her apron.

"And now the scholarship student's, Hatsune."

I hold my breath. If it's rubbish, I'll be back to square one. On a scholarship, if I do badly, I could get kicked out. Maybe not immediately, but mistakes stack up.

"This is somewhat similar in taste to something... it brings back a memory of Christmas."

"I based it on mulled wine, Sensei."

"Excellent. We were not wrong to select you."

"Thank you." I look at my feet. This is embarrassing, and it builds expectations too high when I don't know loads of techniques the others do.

People start milling around, tasting each others' cakes. I try a piece of Ichigo's. Despite Sensei's harsh critiquing, it's moist and there is vanilla pod as well as strawberry inside as an accent.

"It's actually pretty amazing, Ichigo-chan! You must be good with strawberries."

Ichigo smiles at me.

"You think? They are my favourite fruit..."

"Your love for them shows, definitely!"

I notice a small group of people have gathered around my cake, and they seem to be complimentary. Andou and Hanabusa are flattering, at least. But...

"It's too spicy. The chocolate doesn't stand out enough. And the cream is too runny."

I've only known him for an hour. Yet I know that it's Kashino without turning around.


	4. Chapter 4 - A Sweets Spirit?

"Another one bites the dust." I mutter to myself, throwing away another bowl of failed crème pâtissière. I've made about five bowls, but I just can't get the consistency right. I took Kashino's criticism on board for the buche de noel, but it just used Chantilly cream, a basic stiff whipped cream with sugar. Crème pâtissière is a thick cream-custard, and is needed for our éclairs tomorrow.

I'm practising in the kitchens, and by now it's about midnight. Ichigo was just leaving when I went in about an hour and a half ago, which surprised me. She seemed a bit of an airhead, but she must be serious about becoming a pâtissière to practise at night.

"Stupid cream!" I growl, having thrown away another bowl of ruined dairy.

"That's not a nice thing to say about me." A little voice pipes up.

"Huh? Who's that?" I ask. The voice sounded like it came from in front of me, but I can't see anyone.

"Oh, right, you can't see me. Sorry. Give me a sec..."

"Ah, did I get flour in my eyes?" I blink.

When I open my eyes, a tiny fairy is hovering in front of me, wielding a long golden whisk with a pink enamel inset at the top.

The fairy girl has long, dirty-blonde hair tied in two long plaits which hang around her ankles. Two strands of escaped hair frame her face, and she has a messy fringe (/A/N - think Vanilla's, but all the chunks of hair are wavy and the same size/). A blue headband with off-white frills and blue stitching sits (albeit needlessly) on her head.

On her face she has bright, dark blue and indigo eyes, pale skin, and a grin. She wears a dress with a royal blue skirt that billows to below the knees like a ballgown, with a cream collared top and blue buttons, with blue ballet shoes. An indigo-trimmed light blue, violet and cream tartan apron with a rounded V-neck sits on top. A set of four round wings peep out from behind, like a bee.

"No, not flour, just spirit dust. Why did you call me stupid?"

"Oh, hello, little fairy. I'm definitely not going insane. I talk to fairies every day, this is normal."

She whacks my head with the whisk. It feels like a bug landed on my head.

"I'm not a fairy, I'm a sweets spirit! Fairies don't exist, silly!"

I don't know, I'm beginning to think anything is possible... and I don't see the difference between fairies and whatever a sweets spirit is anyway.

"Violence, fai- I mean, sweets spirit-chan. Why are you here? And what are you on about, me calling you stupid?"

"Well, you said 'stupid cream'..."

"And?"

"Oh, of course, you didn't know I existed! Sorry. I thought you might remember... My name's Cream. Nice to meet you, Kaoru!"

The penny drops.

"You're one of the wish-granting sweets spirits, aren't you?"

"Yes and no. What's your dream?"

"To become a pâtissière."

"Then yes. We spirits come to the human world to find a person we like to partner up with. Then we work together, make amazing sweets, and the spirit becomes a Royal Palace Pâtissièr and the human does whatever they wanted to do as a pâtissièr. Only people who have spirits can see spirits, that's why I threw dust in your eyes. I told you all this before..."

"No you didn't, but that's pretty cool! So it's not immediate? Good. I want the challenge!"

"We're going to get along, I can tell. And not just because I've been watching you every day since your exam."

"What?"

"Uh, never mind. It's not like I saw you changing by mistake last Friday or anything..."

"... I really don't know what to say to that, so I'll pretend I didn't hear."

"Hey, Cream, you blockhead, why didn't you tell me you were going to the human world?"

Another spirit flies through the opened window at about a hundred miles an hour and crash lands into one of my bowls of cream. She sits up in the bowl, blinking, with thin, split cream dripping from her side pigtails.

"Cranberry? What are you doing here?" Cream seems surprised. She waves her whisk and indigo sparkles fly from it. They spin around the second spirit, Cranberry, for a second, and when they disappear she is completely has bright magenta hair tied by green ribbons in two thick side pigtails. Her electric green eyes are staring accusingly at Cream, hands on her hips despite still standing inside a bowl of curdled cream. She wears a sleeveless purple dress with no collar, just a floppy bow, with a square-necked forest green apron with lime green frills. There is a resemblance to Cream in her face, except for her scowl.

"You went to the human world without me! I thought we were going to find the best human ever and be their partner together! Instead you've got somebody you chose without me and I have to put up with it now!" Cranberry whines. She seems kind of (and I hate to say it about something so tiny) annoying.

"Uhh... I'm not all that bad, you know." I say. Cranberry seems to have forgotten I'm here. I hope I don't have to be her partner as well as Cream's; it may sound ungrateful, but Cranberry is the fairy equivalent of a whiny, spoilt eight year old.

"Right. But why'd you have to do this, Cream? We've been together so long!" More high-pitched whinging.

"Wait, how do you two know each other?" I ask. I address my question to Cream, but no.

"We're twins! At least we were! I'm going to... stop being sisters with her!"

 _Shut up, Cranberry. And also, do nursery level biology._

In the five minutes I've known her, I've realised Cream is, like Cranberry except to a lesser extent, a bit of a ditz. But unlike Cranberry (and here's the major difference) Cream is not a whingy cow.

"How are you two even related?" I ask Cream in a whisper, who has taken up residence on my left shoulder.

"When I hatched she came out as well."

"Hatched?" I ask. Maybe, in the spirit world, they _can_ de-sister people. They hatch from... something, after all.

"From eggs. Identical twins come from one normal egg, non-identical like us come from two small eggs hidden inside a big egg. Don't you know where you came from?"

"Humans don't hatch from eggs."

"What?!"

Cranberry looks at us whispering, a little angry.

"Stop talking about me! I'm right here, you know!"

"We were talking about eggs." Cream and I answer in perfect sync.

"Fine! Be like that. I'm gonna find the best partner ever and have them all to myself!" Cranberry yells, flying out the window. She looks back a few times. I think she wants Cream to take chase, but she either hasn't got the message or doesn't particularly care.

Cream sighs.

"She's wasn't always like this. She used to be a prankster, sure, and annoy everybody, but at least she was fairly independent. We were best friends as well as sisters. When I said that I wanted to become a Royal Palace Pâtissière, she started following me around, whining when I didn't do things her way, and whinging when we weren't together. Our piece for the Pâtissièr exam was thought up by Cranberry alone, and she didn't take my opinions into account. Even the judges noted the dessert we made seemed one-sided, with lots of berries and no creams of any description. And when I decided to go to the human world and find a partner, she decided to share partners with me. _She_ decided it."

"It seems like you haven't had much of a break from it."

"None at all. So I left for this world without her, and then she found me today."

"I hope her finding her own partner takes the stress off of you. Now you can express yourself and discover your tastes." I say. I feel sorry for Cream, having been controlled by her younger twin.

"Yeah, hopefully. I just hope she can manage... knowing her, she'll probably pick the least suitable human in the school to partner with."

"Stop worrying about her. She chose herself, and if she makes a bad choice of partner she's the one who has to live with it."

"I guess. Anyway, this crème pâtissière. This poor crème pâtissière. You killed it." Cream grins, hugging the whisk in my bowl melodramatically, stroking it. "There, there, little bowl of custard, heaven is a nice place."

"It's not that bad, is it?" I ask. Though if it is, Cream's probably the best person (spirit?) to ask.

She takes out her whisk and uses the end to taste it, licking the end delicately. She pulls a face.

"Actually, it might be going to hell. It tastes of cabbage."

Okay, what?

"It can't be that bad, surely?" I ask. I take my decidedly larger whisk out of the mix and lick the end.

"Ew ew ew ew ew!" I scrape my tongue with my fingers, trying to get the taste off. Cream's right.

What the hell, crème pâtissière? It does taste of cabbage! Is this how the Koshiro girl felt when she put soy sauce in ganache?

Cream just sits there, laughing at me. She's a little minx. She's just like what she said Cranberry was like before.

"Help me." I gasp, grabbing at my glass of water.

"That was... quite the reaction. Though I was doing my best to keep quiet." Cream says.

"You are the devil. The devil has fairy wings."

"You made the stuff. Okay, should I show you how to make it properly?"

"No, leave me with my cabbage soup. I don't mind." I say, sarcasm dripping from my voice. You can almost see it pooling on the floor.

"Fine."

"No, wait! I was joking!"

So that's how we ended up in front of a pot of milk and vanilla pod, two whisks in the saucepan, one big and one small.

"Don't touch the bottom of the pot, or you'll get the sticky film at the bottom in the mix. And don't whisk continuously. Ah, you've done it. Make it again! No, don't forget the vanilla. Ah, it's too hot! Just bring it up to the boil, don't keep it there! Remake! Were you even paying attention?"

It seems I don't know how to boil some milk. And the egg, sugar and flour mix I made before only had to be made eighteen times before Cream was satisfied.

"There, that's nice. Take it off and add the egg mix quickly! Keep whisking it or it'll get lumpy, and put it back on a low to medium heat. It needs to boil, or it won't thicken. Lift up the whisk so I can see? That's good, now run it through the sieve into this bowl. It doesn't look too bad at all!"

That's a miracle.

"Put it in the fridge for two hours. Not as it is, put cling film over it so it touches the crème and that way it won't grow a skin. You're using it for the practical tomorrow, aren't you? Most people are coming in in the morning to make theirs, I heard."

"It is the morning." I point out. "You've been teaching me for two hours. It's 2 o'clock."

"You're a slow learner," Cream is very tactful, "so we can't practise the choux or fondant."

"I think I'm okay with those, but am I that slow of a learner, or are you just a rubbish teacher?"

"You're slow. But don't worry, I'll stay and teach you. Until I get hungry."

Okay, I really need to get Cream to be polite.

"Where are you going to sleep?" I ask her. Maybe she flies about all night.

Cream just looks at me.

"Ow ow ow ow ow!" I cry as I hit the floor.

"Do you fall out of bed every night, Kaoru-chan?" Kana asks sleepily.

"Sorry. I'm not used to this bed." Technically true, but that's not why I fell out of bed.

Cream is lying asleep in the middle of my bed, and when I tried to move her she bit me without even waking up, mumbling about 'fluffy texture... I like macarons'. I don't know about you, but I'd rather not be considered a human macaron. I mean, she drew blood, and now I have tiny tooth marks on my hand. So I slept on the tiny bit of bed at the edge I considered safe from biting spirits... and you know the rest.

"I had such a good night's sleep! Your bed way beats the armchair in the Chairman's room!" Cream cheers, bright-eyed and bushy-tailed (/A/N - it's a saying, those of you who are reading this translated from English/).

Me? I have dark shadows under my eyes, and am lying on the floor because I was too tired to get back up when I fell out.

"Wow, are you okay? What happened?" Cream asks, peeking down at me.

"I became a macaron."

"That sounds tasty! I love it when they're all fluffy inside!"

"I know." I groan.

"You do? Are you psychic?"

"No, I... never mind. Wait, you slept on the Chairman's chair?"

"That's where spirits looking for a partner sleep until they find one. It can get cramped, but the Chairman's spirit Carrot doesn't mind us."

"Carrot. Seriously?"

"Yeah. Is that weird?"

"I... I guess not?" Spirit names are weird.

"Who are you talking to?" Kana enquires, not looking over.

I quickly grab my mobile off my desk.

"Yeah, Dad, it's cool here. I've got to get ready for class now..." I say into the phone. It's not even turned on.

"Tell your dad hi from me." Kana says, burying her head under the duvet.

"My friend Kana says hi... okay, I'll see you at winter break. Bye!" I feel like a right plonker talking to a dead phone. I try to ignore Cream laughing shamelessly at me as I replace the phone on the desk.

"Are you getting up, Kana-chan? We have class, right?"

"I don't wanna go to French."

"Huh?"

"It's not cooking all day, every day, you know! That's only on Tuesdays. Today we have French and Chemistry before cooking, then flower arrangement and Japanese."

"Yeah, I know. But I didn't do French back home, I did English!"

"Oh, you'll catch up."

That doesn't help, Kana.

Yay, French. I struggle through diction, getting the amazing score of zero. And I sit next to some pink-haired girl from B group who keeps stifling laughter with every word I write.

"Now, our transfer student, Hatsune-san. Please stand at the front and read the passage out loud to us."

Oh god. Oh god no no nonononononono.

I stumble to the front.

Ichigo whispers, "I feel your pain," as I stagger past. I must look drunk as well as sleep deprived.

Just then Cream pops out of my pocket.

"I'll change it to phonetics." She waves her whisk, and indigo sparks cover my textbook. When they lift, the words are spelt as they would be said.

 _Thank you, Cream._

I hear a little gasp, and I look up. Can anybody here see spirits too? Then I notice the rest of A group.

Ichigo is suppressing giggles. Hanabusa and Kashino are catching flies (/A/N- another saying, their mouths were open/) and Andou looks surprised for a second, then stern, and then smiles a little and looks at the others.

I read out the new passage fairly easily, but pause a bit so I'm not too suspicious. But I can only think...

So they have spirits too.

 **Hi guys! Sorry I haven't uploaded in a bit... well, actually, ages. Want the honest reason? I forgot my password. Oh, and I'm a lazy asshole. Thankfully I found the slip of paper with my password on it (phew!) so I'll post a new chapter soon! Thanks to all those who have liked the story so far and left reviews, it really does mean a lot! See you soon, Bell x**


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